
We mean business
Reducing administrative burden, stimulating innovation, encouraging sustainable production, ensuring the smooth functioning of the European Union's internal market for goods, opening up business opportunities in space and security research - these are just a few examples of what the European Commission is doing to create a friendly environment for businesses.
Take a quick look at our short animation to get an overview of the benefits of the EU's enterprise policies for businesses and for our day-to-day lives.
Progress on alternative approaches to animal testing
The European Partnership on Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) was launched in November 2005 by European Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen and Science & Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik together with the European industry.
At a conference in Brussels today both industry and the Commission have expressed their strong wish to strengthen this unprecedented collaboration to reduce animal testing as much as possible to avoid unnecessary suffering for animals (the 3Rs Approach) wherever possible.
Research on alternative approaches is the key to implementing the 3Rs of replacement, reduction and refinement Both the European Commission and industry devote significant resources to Research & Development (R&D) to align priorities and initiate projects that will lead to less and better use of animal testing.
For instance, EPAA companies volunteered to provide data for adapting an extended one generation study, originally developed for plant protection products, for use in other sectors as well, thus reducing the animals used in traditional two-generation studies.
New innovative approaches to provision of the key toxicological information without the use of animal models. Work continues on the use of stem cells and computational chemistry and systems biology...
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05/11/09
Ban on animal testingThe Cosmetics Directive foresees a regulatory framework with the aim of phasing out animal testing. It establishes a prohibition to test finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals (testing ban), and a prohibition to market in the European Community, finished cosmetic products and ingredients included in cosmetic products which were tested on animals (marketing ban)...
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04/11/09
“ELECTRA”: Tackling climate change with a strong European electrical industryA new “ELECTRA Communication” identifies energy supply infrastructure, energy efficiency of buildings and transport networks, industrial production and smart technologies as areas to which the electrical industry can significantly contribute to EU's objectives on climate change, whilst creating growth and jobs. The communication responds to the industry recommendations formulated in 2008...
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20/11/09
European e-Skills Conference (Brussels) -
23 - 24/11/09
Beyond the crisis: Design for a sustainable future (Brussels) -
23/11/09
Break gender stereotypes, give talent a change Final Conference (European Economic and Social Committee) -
01/12/09
REACH - Substance Identity Workshop
(Helsinki)
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07/12/09 - Innovation / ICT
Workshop on Self-service terminals and Assistive technologies (Brussels, Belgium) -
09/12/09
Sustainable Tourism - Iron Curtain Trail - Second workshop (Sopron (Hungary)) -
09/12/09
Conference on the European machinery industry (Brussels, Belgium) -
17/12/09 - Security research and development
Data Access under the EC-ESA Delegation Agreement (Brussels, Charlemagne - Room Jean Durieux, level S1)
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FP7 Security Call 3 - FP7-SEC-2010-1
Deadline: 26/11/09 -
FP7-SEC-2010-1 Testing and validation guidelines for Topic SEC-2010.3.1-1
Deadline: 26/11/09 -
Call for research and innovation to boost Europe’s SMEs
Deadline: 03/12/09 -
Taking on endless possibilities, € 114 million for space research
Deadline: 08/12/09 -
Framework Service Contract for the procurement of space and security related studies
Deadline: 31/12/09 -
Training and education call welcomes SME participation
Deadline: 31/03/10 -
Economist Visitors Programme to support the work of the Competitiveness Report
Deadline: 30/06/11 -
Expert evaluators for Intelligent Energy Europe
Deadline: 30/09/13
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"Ecodesign for a sustainable future" 19/11/09
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"Study on the Competitiveness of the EU tourism industry" 13/11/09
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"Smarter urban development" 12/11/09
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"Speech on the occasion of the annual meeting of the Oekoinstitut" 05/11/09
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"Europe needs more businesswomen" 30/10/09
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"Impact of the economic crisis on key sectors of the EU, October 2009" 30/10/09
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"View the web streaming of the 1st EU-ESA International Conference on Human Space Exploration" 28/10/09
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Deadline: TBA
Suggestions to reduce administrative burdens put on business by the EU -
Deadline: 19/12/09
Harmonised classification and labelling of two chemical substances
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Deadline: 25/11/09 - Cosmetics
Call for scientific data on peanut oil and wheat proteins -
Deadline: 18/12/09 - red tape, funding
Have your say on EU financial rules





